THINGS TO DO IN MUNICH

During the last two weeks of September, and the first week in October in Munich, Germany is something called Octoberfest (a.k.a. the best beer party in all of Europe)! It's on my list of things to do and places to see, and being that it's coming up, it got me interested in finding out a little bit more about this fabulous European city. In short, Munich is being called the "Hot Spot" of the moment in Germany by many travel-gurus. So if you love beer, history, shopping that's said to rival Paris and Milan, and if you enjoy traveling to a place with a buzzy European city, Munich's the place for you! Here's JSS' Mini Hit List of some things to do if you jet set to Munich.

WHY GO?
- It's a beautiful historic city nestled against the Bavarian Alps
- Octoberfest
- Beer, of course

WHEN TO GO:
- May, June, September, October

THINGS TO DO:
- Walk from Karlsplatz to Marienplatz, explore the shops and churches. Also around the back of Rathaus is great shopping.
- Rent a bike and ride around Englischer Garten
- Visit Olympia Park, and on a good day go up the Olympiaturm
- Visit many beer gardens or beer cellars
- Get a real taste of Bavaria and eat in the Ratskeller, the restaurant under the Rathaus
- Go up Alter Peter at the Marienplatz to get a great view of the city
- Visit the Viktuelienmarket next to the Marienplatz
- Look inside the Frauenkirche and other churches
- Have a coffee, cake or a beer in one of the countless outdoor cafes
- Obviosuly during Octoberfest time, visit the Octoberfest
- Before Christmas, visit some Christmas markets
- Have a Bavarian breakfast in a beer garden or beer cellar; eat Weisswurst, beer and a pretzel before 11am, but make sure to peel the sausages!
- See a concert of some kind at a venue like the Gasteig or Muffathalle
- If the weather is really bad, head to the shopping center Olympiaeinkaufzentrum

AN OCTOBERFEST IN OCTOBER

Yes, we all know the real, true Octoberfest is held every year in Germany...and what an event it truly is! But, it's funny that it's called Octoberfest because it's usually held at the end of September, and finishes in early October. In fact, this year's festivities officially ended last Sunday! So, I did a little digging to find out where my New York jet setters could go for an Octoberfest celebration...in October...and closer to home than Germany...and I found something that I think sounds like a lot of fun!Circle-Line Sightseeing Cruise has an annual Octoberfest cruise that runs every weekend during the month of October! Basically, you hop on the boat from Pier 83 in Manhattan at 8:30am sharp and go for a 2-hour cruise up the Hudson River (enjoying beautiful scenery of fall foliage and views of the George Washington Bridge and other sites along the way) all the way up to Bear Mountain State Park. On the boat, you can buy all of the beer you want. Once you get to Bear Mountain State Park, the festivities really begin with German food, beer, and entertainment. You leave the park at 3:30pm for your 2-hour cruise back to Pier 83 which drops you off by 5:30pm. Ticket Prices are as follows: Adults ($49), Children ($30), and Senior Citizens ($40).